Will Narragansett allow a Transmission Line on Town Beach?

The Narragansett Town Council is holding a public meeting tonight that could be critical to the plans for an offshore wind project off the coast of Block Island.

The concerns over wind energy heads to Narragansett.

Credit Bradley Campbell

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The Block Island Wind farm would place five wind turbines off the southeast coast of Block Island. The company in charge of it is Deepwater Wind. It plans to connect the wind turbines and the Island to the power grid on the mainland with a 21 mile underwater cable. Deepwater Wind wants that cable to come ashore in Narragansett.

In a statement, Deepwater says the cable would be buried ten feet underground. Construction would occur at Town Beach and happen during the off season at the end of this year.

But Councilman Matthew Mannix wants to give the town more time to look at the plan. He introduced a motion to suspend talks with Deepwater until July. He says residents are voicing concern that the cable construction and the voltage running underground could damage the popular beach. Mannix says the motion would give Narragansett residents more time to vet the proposed transmission line before the council makes any decision with Deepwater.

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A subcommittee of the Coastal Resources Management Council has denied Deepwater Wind’s request to waive a $700,000 fee. Deepwater Wind wanted the application fee waived for its offshore wind farm off Block Island.

After more than two hours of testimony and deliberation, the Ocean Special Area Management Plan subcommittee voted 4 – 1 to deny the fee waiver.